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"TRUE JACKSON VP: SEASON 1, VOLUME 1" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
On the heels of the wildly successful Nickelodeon sit com “iCarly,” there’s a new kid on the block. It’s “True Jackson VP,” and it stars Keke Palmer as the teenage vice president of a major fashion label. True Jackson must balance her life as a teenager with her duties as an executive. Her friends from school have become her yes men at work, and while her boss just adores her, there are some political bickering between her and the other VPs.
WHAT I LIKED
I tend to like these teen sit coms. The Disney Channel line isn’t bad at all, despite what a lot of grown ups might tell you. However, it’s the Nickelodeon line that really does them the best. I have enjoyed “iCarly” with my kids, and now the “True Jackson VP” series has shaped up to be a good one. The chemistry between Palmer and his comrades is pretty decent, and I have been surprised and pleased with how the show manages to keep things interesting.
Keke Palmer has a definite acting talent, and she’s one to watch as this show seasons over the years. The stories are cute and clever, and often have some sort of friendly message. It’s not just about fashion, but more about growing up as a teenager in an extraordinary situation.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I had seen the pilot episode to this series on a DVD release of “iCarly,” and I was not very impressed with the first episode. However, as the series moved on, things settled down a bit. Originally, it started to go down “Ugly Betty” territory, with the fish out of water miraculously triumphing at the last minute. However, this formula has been less the rule as the episodes continued.
Ultimately, the biggest problems that anyone will find with this show are more likely to be a generic criticism of a teen sit com genre as a whole (i.e., simplified stories, silly situations, inane grown-ups) rather than specific to this series.
DVD FEATURES
Volume one of season one includes the first thirteen episodes of the series, along with behind-the-scenes spots, bloopers, original screen tests for the actors and a behind-the-scenes look at the Barbie Fashion Show during New York’s Fashion Week.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Teens and tweens.
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"WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN: DEADLY ENEMIES" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Studio: Lionsgate Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Five episodes of the “Wolverine and the X-Men” cartoon are collected on a single disc as volume two of the series. The episodes included on this disc are “Overflow,” “Thieves’ Gambit,” “X-Calibre,” “Wolverine vs. the Hulk” and “Time Bomb.”
WHAT I LIKED
Less than ten years ago, the animation studios finally perfected the formula for excellent cartoon adaptation of superheroes. The Warner Bros. line has finally nailed it with the Batman and Superman franchises for kids, and Marvel has also hit it big with Spider-Man, Fantastic Four and X-Men adaptations.
This cartoon series offers a way to tell extended stories of the characters from the comic books in animated format. It’s not just about Wolverine, although he will always be seen as a reluctant leader of the X-Men. This particular run of five episodes find the X-Men trying to prevent a future catastrophe, and it gives us an opportunity to see new characters at the center of stories, including Storm, Gambit, Nightcrawler and of course the Incredible Hulk.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
For someone like me who never read the Marvel line of comic books, it is easy to get lost in the swarm of mutant heroes. Of course, a short time spent on Wikipedia should clear things up. In short, these small screen versions of the animated heroes are so good, it makes me wonder why the feature film components have such a hard time nailing the formula.
DVD FEATURES
The DVD comes with audio commentary on all episodes featuring Craig Kyle, Greg Johnson and Chris Yost as well as a trailer gallery.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Tween boys and X-Men fans.
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"CHOP SOCKY CHOOKS: VOLUME ONE" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: ** (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: * (out of 5 stars) Not Rated Studio: Fox Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Chick P., KO Joe and Chuckie Chan are three chickens who are wicked-awesome at the martial arts. Their main goal is to defeat the evil Dr. Wasabi with their kung fu skills. Amid the mix of child-friendly animation and adult-friendly pop culture references, the trio goes after evil in all forms, whether it’s robots, dinosaurs or basic fast food and virtual programs.
WHAT I LIKED
There’s a certain amount of love I can give this series simply for concept alone. Coming up with a unique show that kids will like can sometimes prove difficult. The idea of kung fu chickens is different enough to catch the eye of the frenetic younger viewer. And, I will give the show credit for having a somewhat irreverent quality to it. Seriously? A chicken with an afro? That’s pretty funny.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
While I can respect the show on a certain level, I really can’t watch it. To my grown-up eye, it seems to have all the problems from different shows... the incomprehensible nature of “Pokemon,” the low-level CGI animation of “Jimmy Neutron,” the too-far-out-there nature of “Scooby Doo Get a Clue.”
Of course, I’m not the target audience. My kids have watched it, and they love it. I just can’t keep focused on the show for more than five minutes. When I do, I squirm and try to crawl away... or at the least start checking my email. I know there’s story, plot and characters... I just can’t bring myself to care.
DVD FEATURES
The two-disc set includes the first 13 episodes of the series and no other special features.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People whose brains have not fully matured.
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"AUSSIE & TED’S GREAT ADVENTURE" DVD Review by Kevin Carr MOVIE: *1/2 (out of 5 stars) DVD EXPERIENCE: * (out of 5 stars) Rated G Studio: Screen Media Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
A loving family takes in a pup named Aussie, who suddenly becomes jealous of the daughter’s teddy bear. Feeling he has to compete for attention, Aussie hides the bear. However, when it is accidentally carried away and the girl is upset for losing it, Aussie takes to the street to find it. This adventure takes him all over town while the family wonders if they will find either he or the bear before the move.
WHAT I LIKED
There’s something about kids movies that work in almost any case if you put a cute dog in it. This is really the only thing holding “Aussie & Ted’s Great Adventure” together. It’s got the cute element, and having the voice of the dog come off in the friendly Australian accent doesn’t help. Put up against modern DVDs and movies which can sometimes have questionable content, “Aussie & Ted’s Great Adventure” is a very safe, family-friendly film.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Blame it on the live-action “Scooby Doo,” or the Chipmunks or films like “Underdog,” but in today’s cinematic landscape, if you’re going to have talking dogs, their lips should move. I know that’s a ludicrous thing to say, but viewers have become so accustomed to seeing dogs actually talk that it seems strange for them to just think their lines. I’m ashamed to admit it, but this bothered me.
Dog journey movies tend to do well with kids, but I found it to be a bad sign when my kids quickly lost interest with the film. I think this was more due to the fact that the movie padded itself out with family interaction before the dog really took the center stage. However, the kids were unimpressed, and that says something.
DVD FEATURES
There are no special features on the disc at all.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Kids... maybe.
